Slow-speed circuit-controller.



No. 863,335. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.,

' H.- A. WALLACE.

SLOW SPEED CIRCUIT CONTROLLER. APPLIOAT'IOINIILED DEb.13,190B.

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A ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PEYERS ca. WASHINGTON, n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HERBERT A. WALLACE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SLOW-SPEED CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed December 13,1906. Serial No. 347,642.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT A. WALLACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slow-Speed Circuit- Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to slow speed circuit controllers, the object being to provide a device by means of which, after an electric current has been opened or closed, its condition cannot be changed until after the circuit controller has been moved a distance in a certain direction.

Devices of this character may be employed for various purposes one being in connection with interlocking switches and signal mechanisms wherein their controlling or operating levers are automatically locked at a determined time, either by the movement of the switch or signal; or at a determined place by the presence of a car or train. The train in passing the switch or signal, usually automatically releases their controlling or operating levers. If after this locking has taken place, it is desired to change the route or the automatic release fails to work the release may be effected through the medium of the slow speed circuit controller.

I will describe an apparatus embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a modification.

Upon a shaft 10, a worm gear 11 is supported, and on each side of the worm gear I provide a circular flange or disk A and B, preferably of a less diameter than the worm gear. Each of these disks or flanges A, B, is provided in its periphery with a notch or recess a and I) respectively, or they may each be provided with a projection. One side of each notch has a substantially vertical wall, while the other side is inclined.

14 indicates a worm which engages the teeth of the worm gear and is carried by a shaft 15, which may be supported in any suitable manner to rotate freely. Said shaft is preferably provided with a handwheel l6.

C and D indicate two arms which are pivoted at one end and provided at their other ends with heads 0 and (1 respectively, which are shaped to fit in the recesses a and b, and it will be seen that these heads will act as stops to prevent the rotation of the worm gear and the disks in one direction, but will permit them to rotate in the other direction and thereby lift the heads out of the recesses so that they will ride on the peripheries of the respective disks. In the event that projections are employed they will be so shaped that when engaged by the arms C and D they will act to prevent rotation of the worm gear and disks in one direction.

It will be observed that the recess in one disk is slightly in advance of the recess in the other disk and when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, in which the head (Z is resting on the periphery of the disk B, while the head 0 is in the recess of the disk A, it will be impossible for the head (1 to again enter the recess b in the disk B until the worm gear and the disks have made almost a complete revolution. Consequently any circuit which may be controlled by the movement of the arm D cannot have its condition changed until a predetermined time has elapsed, which time will, of course, depend upon the time it takes to impart complete rotation to the worm gear and the disks.

It is not material whether a circuit will be closed when the head (I rests upon the periphery of the disk B or whether it will be opened. In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a circuit closed when the head (1 rests on the periphery of the disk B and in Fig. 3 I have shown a circuit which is opened under the same conditions. The same arrangement and results will be accomplished with the projections.

It is not absolutely necessary in the operation of my invention that the arm C be utilized to close and open another electric circuit, but it will frequently be desirable that such be the case, and consequently in Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown another circuit which will be closed when the head 0 is riding on the periphery of the disk A. Obviously, however, when the head 0 is riding on the periphery of the disk A, it may be made to open a circuit and consequently when the head (I is riding on the periphery of its disk, and the head 0 is riding on the periphery of its disk, either one may open a circuit, while the other may operate to close a circuit, or both may operate to open circuitsor to close circuits. The arrangement of opening or closing circuits may vary, depending upon the purpose for which the controller is used.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, 17, 1.7 and l8, l8 indicate two pairs of binding posts, from which spring contacts 19, 19 and 20, 20 extend over and above the peripheries of the disks B and A respectively, and these springs will be included in the circuit or circuits lea ding to electric motors or apparatus which it is desired to control. 19 19, and 20 20, also indicate contact springs which are included in the circuits of the motor or apparatus which it is desired to control.

The heads 0 and d are each provided with an insulated bridge marked 6 and f respectively which, when the heads ride on the peripheries of their respective disks, will engage the ends of the respective spring contacts 19, 19 20, 20, and thereby close the two circuits, but which when the heads are in the recesses will be out of engagement with the contacts and the circuits will be open.

In Fig. 3, I have shown two lower springs 19 bent at their free ends around and over the ends of the springs 19. The springs 19' engage the ends of the springs 19, 19, when the head (Z is in the recess of its disk, but when the head is riding on the periphery of its disk, the bridge 6 will be lifted out of engagement with the ends of the contact springs 19 and consequently in such case, when the head (I is riding on the periphery of its disk, it will open a circuit instead of closing one as is the case in Figs. 1 and 2.

The parts are supposed to be in normal position as shown in Fig. 1, when it will be seen that a circuit is closed through spring contacts 19, and 19, and another circuit is open through the spring contacts 20 and 20. The circuit connected to the contacts 19 and 19 may operate any locking device which it will be necessary to release before signaling or switch mechanism can be moved, and it will be seen that in order to open the circuit through the contacts 19, it is absolutely necessary to make almost a complete revolution of the handwheel and the disks in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. The first part of the movement in this direction will also lift the head 0 out of its recess and close the circuit through the contacts 20 and 20, which circuit may operate a motor for some other purpose in connection with the switch and signal mechanism, and while it would be possible after the head a has moved out of its recess to move the worm gear in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, and bring the parts back to normal position to again open the circuit through the contacts 20* and 20 such movement could not possibly atfeet the circuit through contacts 19 and 19, and consequently to break this circuit, the worm gear and disks must be turned almost a complete revolution. A completion of the revolution will result in again closing the circuit through the contacts 19 and 19 substantially simultaneously with the opening of the circuit through the contacts 20 and 20. The operation will be the same if the spring contacts illustrated in Fig. 3 are employed except that in such case the circuit will be open as long as the head rests on the periphery of the disk.

It will, of course, be understood that the time necessary to give a complete revolution to the worm gear and the disks may be varied, either by varying the size of the worm gear or by varying the size of its teeth, and the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing is intended to be typical only, and my invention is not restricted to the precise details of construction illustrated. Furthermore, other forms of gearing may be employed to give the necessary slow movement to the disks A and B which with the arms 0 and D and heads 0 and cl constitute the circuit controlling devices.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A slow speed circuit controller comprising two disks connected together to rotate about a common center, each disk having a stop on its periphery one slightly in advance of the other, pivoted arms carrying heads to engage the peripheries of the disks and said stops serving to prevent the disks from turning in one direction but permitting them to turn freely in the other direction, circuit controllers operated by said heads, and one head operating to prevent the other head from changing the condition of its circuit until said disks have made substantially a complete revolution.

' 2. A slow speed circuit controller, comprising a plurality of disks connected together to rotate about a common center, each disk having a recess in its periphery one being slightly in advance of the other, pivoted arms carrying heads to fit in said recesses and prevent the disks from turning in one direction but permitting, them to turn freely in the other direction and to lift said heads out of the recesses onto the peripheries of the disks, a circuit controller operated by one of said heads to put a circuit in one condition when said head is on the periphery of its disk and to reverse such conditions when in the recess, and the other head operating to DIGX'Glllf the first named head from returning to its recess after having moved therefrom until said disks have made substantially a complete revolution. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed witnesses. HERBERT A. WALLACE. Witnesses A. HERMAN \VEGNER, Josnrn E. WALsH. 

